Serving apparatus.



PATENTED ABR. 28

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SERVING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED MAY 29, 1907 c'l/vitnaooea:

PATENTED APR. '28, 1908.

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PATENTED APR. I28, 1908.` G. N. HOOPER. SERVING APPARATUS. APPLICATION4FILED MAY 29,' 1907.

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PATENTED APR. 28, 1908.

No. 885,925.A

c. N'. HOQPBR. 'SERVING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 29, 1907.

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PATENTED APR. 28, 1908.

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APPLIQATION FILED MAY 29,v 1907.

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CHARLES NELSON HOOPER, OF DUBUQUEIOWA.

SERVING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 28, 1908.

Application led May 29, 1907. Serial No. 376,332.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES N. HooPER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Dubuque, in the county of Dubuque and State of Iowa, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Serving Apparatus, ofwhich the following is a specification, reference being had therein tothe accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to servin apparatus for furnaces, and whilesuscepti le of use for charging furnaces for various purposes,

is especially designed to be employed in the manufacture of enamel ware,for. carrying into the enameling furnace and lowering upon f meanstherefor, the fork being provided with a carriage adapted forreciprocation along horizontally disposed track sections, which arearranged `to be moved vertically.

An important feature of the invention resides in the provision ofimproved motorower actuated means for giving the fork its horizontalmovement and in the particular arrangement and connection thereof withthe fork carriage, whereby the track sections are adapted vto be movedvertically independently of said means while maintaining the connectionwith the carriage.

A further object of the invention is to improve the construction of thefork to prevent straining and springing and to increase its capacity.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the annexed detaileddescription.

An embodiment of the invention comprises the construction andarrangement of parts, hereinafter described, illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the claims heretoap' pended.

In the drawings; Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view ofan apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig.2 is a top plan view, the vervon an enlarged scale.

tically movable track frame and serving fork being removed. Fig. 3 is anend elevation Fig. 4 is a View on an enlarged scale illustrating themanner of constructing the inner portion of the serving fork. Fig. 5 isa view showing the parts seen at the right of Fig. 1, on an enlargedscale.

Referring to a detailed description of the drawings, wherein likereference characters designate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views, 1 designates a supporting base for the apparatus,comprising side sills 2, end sills 3, and intermediate longitudinalcenter sills 4, all of channeled iron, the center sills being fastenedto the end sills by angle brackets and the side and end sills beingconnected by transverse braces 5 and corner plates 6, the latter havingsleeves 7, with which are associated leveling jack screws 8. At each endof the base are four risers 9 made up of angle bars and securely tiedtogether by transverse plates 10 and side plates 11 to provide strongand rigid supports for rock shafts 12 and 13, which are mounted inbearings 14, secured thereto.

15 designates a track section frame supported above the base 1 in ahorizontal position upon bell crank levers 16, which are keyed to therock shafts 12 and 13 and have a pivotal connection at their upper endswith said frame. The levers 16 are correspondingly arranged and thelower ends of the levers on shaft 12 are connected with the lower endsof the levers on shaft 13 by links 17 extending along opposite sides ofthe base, so that by rotating one of said shafts the frame 15 will bemoved vertically in a horizontal plane. For giving the frame thismovement l provide motor power in the nature of a fluid cylinder andpiston 18 and 19. The cylinder 18 is supported at one side of the base,being bolted at one end to one of the transverse braces 5, and at itsother end to a short transverse member 20 provided for this purpose.Similar supports 21 are provided for guides 22 for a cross head 23 atthe outer end of the piston rod of the piston 19, which is operativelyconnected with the rock shaft 12 through the medium of a pitman 24 and acrank 25 keyed to said shaft.

The track section frame is composed of four longitudinal channel members25 securely fastened together to provide a rigid structure, the members25 being arranged parallel and spaced to constitute track sections.

26 designates a serving fork constructed in accordance with the presentinvention, said fork comprising a carriage 27 adapted to be supported bythe track sections for travel thereupon and consisting of a pluralityTof members 28, three being shown in the present instance, each of whichis provided with a portion 29 extending horizontallyT above the tracksections and a portion 30 extending rearwardly and downwardly to a pointbelow the track section frame. The members 2,8, which are arranged inparallel relation and at equal distances apart are connected by a shaft31 passing through the members at the junction of their portions 29 and30, and by a shaft 32 passing through the members at the outer ends oftheir portions 30. J ournaled on the shafts 31 and 32 are fianged Wheels33, the wheels on the shaft 31 bearing downwardly on the track sectionsand the wheels on shaft 32 bearing upwardly thereagainst, there beingfour wheels on each shaft, two arranged at the ends of the shaft tocontact with the two outside track sections and two arranged on eitherside of the central member to engage the two inside sections of track.

` Extending forwardly from the horizontal portions 29 and suitablysecured thereto are members 35, constituting the tines of the servingfork. As will be understood the tines of the fork have to be ofconsiderable length and the material handled is placed upon the outerends of the tines so that there is considerable strain at the innerextremities thereof or at a point near their connection to the carriage.ln order therefore to prevent the tines from springing, bending ortwisting, to strengthen the carriage and maintain the wheels thereof inproper relation with the track sections, I provide the followingstructure. The tines gradually increase in cross section, as they nearthe point of greatest strain and are connected near their inner ends bya shaft 36 passing therethrough and provided with suitable securingmeans at its ends.

37 designates cross bracing arranged between the members 28 and betweenthe inner ends of the tines and connecting the shafts 31, 32 and 36. Thecross bracing consists of rods 38 provided at one end with eyes 39 toembrace the shafts and extending diagonally to and adj ustably connectedwith a central ring 40, the inner ends of the rods passing throughopenings in the ring 40 and being screw-threaded. for clamping nuts. Themembers 28 n at the junction of their portions 29 and 30 are providedwith upwardly extending vertical arms or struts 41, which are connectedby a shaft 42 passing through the upper ends thereof and shaft 41 isconnected with shafts 31 and 32 by truss members 43 consisting ofstraight rods provided with eyes at their ends for engagement with saidshafts. The cross bracing and truss members, as well as the carriagewheels are held in place or properly spaced by pipe spreaders 44 slippedover the shafts.

The motor power for moving the serving fork horizontally along the tracksection frame consists of a fluid cylinder and piston 45 and 46, themovements of the piston 45 being transmitted to the carriage through themedium of a cable 47 connected therewith. The cylinder 45 is arrangedlongitudinally and centrally of the base, and is securely bolted totransverse braces 48 thereof. The'piston rod of the piston 46 extendsfrom opposite ends of the cylinder and is provided at its ends withpulleys 49 and 50.

Arranged at opposite ends of the base 1 in alinement with the pulleys 49and 5() are stationary pulleys 51, 52, the axles of the pulleys beingmounted in journal boxes secured to the intermediate longitudinal sills4. rl`he cable 47 consists of two sections of wire rope, each sectionbeing secured to a bolt 53 at one end of the base and passing downaround one of the pulleys of the piston rod and up and around one of thestationary pulleys and connecting with a rod 54, said rod being formed.at its lower end into a tee, with eyes for securing the ends of thecable. The bolts 53 are securely fastened to members 55 bolted to thecentral risers 9 and said bolts are adapted to be adjusted to tightenthe cable. The rod 54 is adapted to slidably engage a slide member orbracket 56 rigidly secured to one of the members 28 to provide avertically adjustable connection between the cable and the carriage ofthe serving fork to allow for the vertical movement of the track sectionframe and fork independently of the cable, which is stationary withrespect to vertical movement, so that an ojwrative or direct connectionbetween the cable and the fork is always maintained irrespective of thevertical movement of the latter. The rod 54 is of a length to permitsuilicient vertical play of the slide 56 on the rod, said rod extendingu nvardly through and projecting above the slide and being provided witha counterbalance to prevent the rod from dropping down in the event ofthe cable becoming slack. Said counterbalance consists of a weightedlever 57 pivoted to a bracket 58 of the slide 56 and connected at oneend with the upper end of the rod 54. It to be noted that by thisarrangement I am permitted to mount the power mechanism entirely ou tol' the way, and in a convenient manner on the supporting base 1, whichas set forth is of a character particularly adapted to withstand thewear and strain incident to the use of such mechanism.

The inlet and outlet of the actuating iluid as a counterbalance for thedead load of the.

tus is to be set up adjacent the door of an enamel'ing furnace, and thefork is adapted to receive a load of material and to be movedhorizontally to convey the material within the furnace and to be movedvertically to lower the same upon the furnace supports. In the act oftaking the charge from the furnace the fork is run into the furnace,raised vertically to lift the charge from the furnace su ports and thenWithdrawn.

It will be understood that various changes within the scope of theclaims hereto appended may be made in the construction and arrangementof parts hereinbefore described without departing from the spirit orsacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. In anapparatus of the class described, a vertically movable track, a loadhandling device supported for travel horizontally upon the track, andactuating means mounted independently of the track to move the loadhandling device horizontally.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, a vertically movable track, aload handling device supported for travel horizontally upon the track,actuating means mounted independently of the track, and an adjustableconnection between said actuating means and the load handling device.

3. In an apparatus of the class described, a vertically movable track, aload handling device supported for travel horizontally upon the track,actuating means mounted independently of the track, and a verticallyadjustable connection between said actuating means and the load handlingdevice.

4. In an apparatus of the class described, a vertically movable track, aload handling device supported for travel horizontally upon the track,actuating means mounted independently of the track, and an extensibleconnection between said actuating means and the load handling device.

5. In an apparatus of the class described,

a supporting base, a vertically movable track, a load handling devicesupported for travel horizontally upon the track, and actuating meansmounted on the supporting base to move the load handling devicehorizontally.

'6. In an apparatus of the class described, a supporting base, avertically movable track, a serving device supported for travelhorizontally upon the track, actuating means for the track mounted onthe supporting base, and actuating means mounted on the base to move theload handling device horizontally.

7. In an apparatus of the class described,

a vertically movable track, a load handling device supported for travelhorizontally upon the track, actuating means for the track, actuatingmeans to move the load handling device horizontally, a verticallysliding connection between the load handling device and the lastmentioned actuating means, said connection comprising a rod connectedwith the actuating means, and a slide secured to the load handlingdevice.

8. In an apparatus ofthe class described, a vertically movable track, aload handling device supported for travel horizontally upon the track,actuating means for the track, actuating means to move the load handlingdevice horizontally, a vertically sliding connection between the loadhandling device andthe last mentioned actuating means, said connectioncomprising a rod connected with the actuating means, a slide secured tothe load handling device, and a counterbalance for said rod.

9. In an apparatus of the class described, a supporting base, avertically movable track, a load handling device supported. for travelhorizontally upon the track, a motor mounted on the base, a lieXibletransmission member associated with the motor, and an adjustableconnection between the iieXible transmission member and the loadhandling device.

10. In an apparatus of the class described, a supporting. base, lavertically movable track, a load handling device supported vfor travelhorizontally upon the track, a iiuid cylinder and piston mounted on thebase, said piston having a piston rod extending from the ends of thecylinder and provided with pulleys at its ends, stationary pulleysmounted at the ends of the base, a cable-connected at each end to thebase and passing around the pulleys to provide a stretch of cablemovable horizontally, and a vertically sliding connection between thecable and the load handling device.

11. In an apparatus of the class described, a serving fork including acarriage comprising a plurality of parallel members, each of saidmembers having a horizontal portion and a downwardly and rearwardlyextending portion, transverse members connecting the parallel members,wheels journaled on said transverse members, and members extendingforwardly from the horizontal portions of the parallel members andconnected thereto to constitute the tines of the serving fork.

12. In an apparatus of the class described, a serving fork including acarriage comprisingg a plurality of parallel members, each of saidmembers having a horizontal portion and a downwardly and rearwardlyextending portion, transverse members connecting the parallel members,wheels journaled on said transverse members, members extending forwardlyfrom the horizontal portions of the parallel members and connectedthereto to constitute the tines of the serving fork, and transversebracing arranged between the parallel members and the inner extremitiesof the tines.

13. In an apparatus of the class described, a serving fork `including acarriage comprising a plurality of parallel members, each of` saidmembers having a horizontal portion and a vertical strut, membersconstituting the tines of the fork extending forwardly from andconnected to the horizontal portions, and trusses having a connectionwith the struts and the tines of the fork.

14. In an apparatus of the class described, a serving fork including` acarriage comprising a plurality of parallel members, each of saidmembers having a horizontal portion,a downwardly and rearwardlyextending portion, and a vertical strut, and trusses having a connectionwith the vertical struts and the downwardly and rearwardly extendingportions.

. 15. In an apparatus of the class described, a serving fork including acarriage comprising a plurality of parallel members, each of saidmembers having a horizontal portion, a downwardly and rearwardlyextending portion and a vertical strut, transverse members connectingthe parallel members at the ends of the downwardly and rearwardlyextending portions and at the upper ends of the vertical struts, membersextending forwardly from and connected to the horizontal portions of theparallel members and constituting the tines of the forli, trussesconnecting the transverse members, and trusses connected to one of thetransverse members and having connections with the tines of the fork.

16. ln an apparatus of the class described, a serving fork including acarriage comprising a plurality of parallel members, each of saidmembers having a horizontal portion and a downwardly and rearwardlyextending portion, members extending forwardly from and connected to thehorizontal portions to constitute the tines of the fork, a transversemember connecting the tines of the fork, transverse members connecting`the parallel members at the ends of the downwardly and rearwardlyextending members, and at the juncture of the horizontal members and thedownwardly and rearwardly extending members, and transverse bracingbetween the parallel members and the tines of the fork, said bracingconnecting all of the transverse members.

17. In an apparatus of the class described, a serving fork including acarriage comprising a plurality of parallel members, each of saidmembers having a horizontal portion and a downwardly and rearwardlyextending portion, members extending forwardly from and connected to thehorizontal portions to constitute the tines of the fork, a transversemember connecting the tines of the fork, transverse members connectingthe parallel members at the ends of the downwardly and rearwardlyextending members, and at the uncture of the horizontal members, andtransverse bracing between the parallel members and the tines of thefork, said bracing connecting all of the transverse members, andsupporting wheelsjournaled on the two transverse members that connectthe parallel members.

1S. In an apparatus of the class described, a serving fork including acarriage comprising a plurality of parallel members, each of saidmembers having a horizontal portion, a downwardly and rearwardlyextending portion and vertical struts, and members extending forwardlyfrom said horizontal portions and constituting the tines of the fork,transverse members connecting the tines of the fork, and transversemembers connecting the parallel members at the outer ends of thedownwardly and rearwardly extending portions and at the upper ends ofthe vertical struts, and truss members connecting the transversemembers.

19. ln an apparatus of the class described, a supporting base, a trackmovable vertically in a horizontal plane, levers piveted to the base tosupport and move the track, and actuating means for the levers.

20. In an apparatus of the class described7 a track movable verticallyin a horizontal plane, rock shafts mounted on the base, levers fast tothe rock shafts and connected to the track to support and move thesaine, counterbalance weights connected to the rock shafts, andactuating means for said levers.

21 In an apparatus of the class described, a supporting base, a trackmovable vertically in a horizontal plane, rock shafts mounted on thebase, levers fast to the rock shafts to support and move the track, acrank connected to one of the rock shafts, and a motor to actuate thelevers connected with said crank.

22. ln an apparatus of the class described, a serving fork including acarriage comprising a plurality of parallel members, each of saidmembers having a horizontal portion, a downwardly and rearwardlyextending porvessaies 5 tion and vertical struts, and members extendingforwardly from said horizontal 1portions constituting the tines of thefor a transverse member connecting the tines, transverse membersconnecting the parallel members at the upper ends of the verticalstruts, at4 the outer ends of the downwardly and rearwardly extendingportions, and at the junction of its portions, truss members connectingthe three rst mentioned transverse members and transverse bracingbetween the parallel members and the inner ends of the tines, saidbracin including a central ring member, diagona ly extendlng rodsprovided at one end with eyes to embrace the transverse members andconnected at their other ends with the central ring member, and tubularspreader members.

23. In an apparatus of the character described, a supporting base,upwardly extending supports at one end4 of the base, a verticallymovable track, a load handling device supported ior travel upon thetrack, a Huid motor to actuate the track, a Huid motor to actuate theload handling device, conduits for the actuating fluid for the motorsextending from the motors to one end of the base and upwardly along thesupports at one end of the base, and controlling valves for saidconduits.

24. In an apparatus of the class described, a supporting base, upwardlyextending channel members at one end of the base, a movable track, aload handling device supported for travel upon the track, liuid motoractuating means for the track and load handling device, conduits for theactuating fluid for the motor means extending to one end of the base andupwardly within the channel inembers at one end of the base andcontrolling means for said conduits.

25. In an apparatus of the class described, a su porting base, a movabletrack, a load han ling device supported for travel upon the track, iluidmotor actuating means for the track and load handling device, conduitsfor the actuating Huid for the motor means and controlling valves forthe conduits arranged at the rear of the ap aratus.

In testimony whereof I a x my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES NELSON HOOPER.

Witnesses:

A. D. KORFHAGE, A. G. THOMAS.

